I am amazed by how quickly things can sneak up on me.

Worldwide NET Cancer Awareness Day is just a little over two weeks away. A year ago, people were getting ready for that November 10 date for the first time. Jane and I did not know it was there. We were too busy fighting the last rounds of her struggle, though we did not know how close we were to the end at that point.

A year ago on November 10 we were getting ready for what would be our final trip to Dana-Farber together. The day after that visit we got the call to get to Brigham & Women’s for heart surgery on Monday.

This year, I will be alone–no matter how many people I am with. It will be the 11 month anniversary of the day I lost my warrior princess. I will drive to the cemetery, put flowers on her grave, and add another stone to the cairn I seem bent on building there. The weather may be cold or raw or snowy–it will not matter. It will be part of my observance of that day.

On that day I hope many newspapers will see fit to publish the stories we are working on to raise awareness of this vile disease. And if they choose to do stories of their own–well, that is fine, too–so long as they get the facts right. I will post the first of those early next week, I hope–and if papers want to use them early, that will be fine as well.

The bottom line is I want everyone to know about this disease. It has hid in the shadows too long–like a vampire waiting to suck the blood out of its next unsuspecting victim. I want this thing staked and turned to dust the way it turned my wife to dust–and left me with nothing but the taste of dust and ashes in my mouth.

You can help shine a light on this disease in the coming weeks. Go to www.netcancerday.org and see what you can do to help spread the word. On November 10 that site will be updated with new videos all day long. You should also check out and like www.facebook.com/netcancerday.

You can also sign the official WNCAD proclamation at netcancerday.org/resources/proclamation/. Last year that document got 5000 people signed on. We are aiming at 10,000 this year.

You can follow the event planning on Twitter or put together an event to raise awareness.

There is even a global press kit available.

For me, November 10 is going to be a difficult day. It is going to be a difficult day for those who are where Jane and I were a year ago.

But I am going to do all I can do to raise awareness of this disease that day. I ask all of you to do what you can to accomplish the same mission.

This disease needs to die. We have to be the ones to kill it. And the first step is making sure people know the difference between the sound of a horse’s hoofbeats and the sound of a zebra’s.